Blue Demons look to stay a force in the Big East

Although their season ended sooner than they would have liked in the Sweet 16, the DePaul women's basketball team put forth a special 2010-11 campaign they could hang their hat on.

The team's final loss came at the hands of the Duke Blue Devils (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) in the NCAA Semifinals, but the Blue Demons (who finished No. 7, No. 6) accomplished plenty along the way.

The team's achievements read like a roll call: Their 29-6 record was the program's best through 35 games, and highest win total of any team in DePaul's history. Their Sweet 16 appearance was the program's second ever, and first since the 2006 season. Most noteworthy was their undefeated 17-0 record at McGrath-Phillips Arena, capped off with a 70-69 stunner over Notre Dame in the regular season finale.

In the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, their ninth straight appearance, DePaul first topped No. 14 Navy, then finished off No. 6 Penn State on PSU's home court in come-from-behind fashion, before eventually bowing out to Duke.

The breadth of the team's performance was due in large part to the efforts of its five seniors: Felicia Chester, Sam Quigley, Deirdre Naughton, China Threatt and Jennifer Juergens.

Chester, the team's starting center and eventual WNBA draftee, was a powerhouse on the low block, and was a consistent threat from in close. Head coach Doug Bruno relied heavily on Chester for close baskets, defense and rebounding, but knows who will be her replacement.

"Felicia gave us a great inside presence," said Bruno. "Now it's looking like that responsibility will fall to Katherine Harry, taking a more prominent role inside."

Harry, a junior, has two years of experience learning from Chester, and should be a formidable post player.

The other departed starter is Quigley, who was a model of consistency at point guard, will be missed for her passing, shooting and generally solid all-around play. Her backups were Threatt and Juergens, who brought great energy off the bench. Finally Naughton, who battled injuries throughout her career, was a valuable leader and scorer, always ready to make a key play.

Losing these players was inevitable, so now the team will look to its more experienced players to step in and make an impact. While senior Keisha Hampton, the team's All-American leader, and junior Anna Martin will be the most invaluable to the team's success, veteran role players like seniors Deanna Ortiz and Maureen Mulchrone and sophomore Jasmine Penny will be just as important.

"I think the impact Deanna, Maureen and Jasmine have to have this season is huge," said Bruno. "All three of these players have contributed to some of the success we've had, and yet they need to step up their games and consistently contribute this season.

"Deanna's going to be in that role of helping to replace Deirdre, and Maureen and Jasmine are going to be in that role of trying to replace what Felicia brought for us inside."

The significance of senior Taylor Pikes also cannot be ignored, yet the team will need to wait at least a couple months to benefit from her services, as she is out with a knee injury.

"We really miss Taylor Pikes greatly," said Bruno. "She's our best rebounder and just a great all-around player. She would have been a starter for sure if she was healthy. I expect her to probably be ready by the first of the year, in time for the start of the Big East season."

The veteran players along with the newcomers will need to work together as a cohesive unit to match and perhaps surpass the success of last season's squad. To do so, someone will need to step forth to assist the coaching staff to lead the team.

Bruno called the process of players moving into leadership roles on the team a "work in progress."

"You want to demand that somebody leads, you want to require someone to lead, but that's a natural process within a team that has to evolve," he said.

Regardless of how the women's basketball team comes together in the end, expectations are high for this program used to a history of winning.